Amy Klobuchar for veep? Minnesota senator is in mix

[question everything]

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar ended her presidential campaign in March, but she may not be out of presidential politics in 2020 and beyond. With apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden committed to selecting a woman as his running mate, influential Democrats and national pundits see Klobuchar as a top contender for the No. 2 spot, where she could presumably help deliver Minnesota and other Midwestern battleground states expected to be pivotal in November.

(snip)

A Biden campaign spokeswoman confirmed that the selection process is already underway but declined to share additional details. Klobuchar and a handful of leading contenders will be subject to an intense political calculus that factors in experience, geography, diversity, political bearing and personal compatibility as Biden and his advisers look for their strongest play in the coming clash with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence... Biden’s choice is seen as particularly important given his age — he’s 77 — and the prospect that, if he wins, he might not run again in 2024.

(snip)

Working in Klobuchar’s favor are her three statewide wins in Minnesota, especially her strong performance with suburban, exurban and rural voters. States with similar demographics such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania are expected to be pivotal to winning the White House this year; as a candidate for president, Klobuchar spoke often of building a “blue wall” across the industrial Midwest. Klobuchar’s centrist politics also track closely with Biden’s own profile.

Working against those assets is the perception that Biden already has strong appeal in the Midwest and Pennsylvania. And progressives disenchanted by Biden’s defeat of Sen. Bernie Sanders might be repelled by a politically middle-of-the-road ticket. Klobuchar’s clearest disadvantage is that many Democratic politicians, activists and voters are openly urging Biden to pick a woman of color.

(snip)

With her focus back in the Senate after exiting the presidential race, Klobuchar, like most federal lawmakers, has concentrated on pandemic response. A major emphasis has been her push for expanded early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, which has emerged as an election-year flash point between Democrats and Republicans — and which could serve as a tailor-made issue for a vice presidential candidate.

Candidates for VP are expected to be on the political attack, leaving the top of the ticket to stay above the fray. And Klobuchar in recent weeks has kept up her criticism of Trump and his handling of the federal government’s coronavirus response. “Right now, we need a leader who will tell the truth to Americans — not turn his briefings into propaganda,” Klobuchar said Wednesday on CNN. “He turns it into a propaganda piece when people are dying.”

https://www.startribune.com/amy-klobuchar-for-veep-minnesota-senator-is-in-mix/569759962/

[Mme. Defarge]

1. Be still my heart!

[Green Line]

2. And mine

[Indykatie]

9. I Hope It Isn't Amy n/t

[demosincebirth]

12. I hope it is!

[LonePirate]

3. I hope not. So many better candidates exist for party unity.

[Dem4Life1102]

4. Doesn't work at all

She is from a solid blue state and doesn’t help flip swing states like Florida or North Carolina. She is more of a centrist than Biden so she won’t attract progressive voters to the ticket. And she won’t help energize the African American vote. There are many better choices.

[Indykatie]

11. Trump in the WH Should Be All The Incentive "Progressives" Need to Get our Butts to the Polls

As a rule VPs don't flip states but I think Whitmer is a better choice. I think she's a fighter and a better communicator than Amy.

[Dem4Life1102]

20. Not true

Texas and LBJ in 1960 to Tim Kaine and Virginia in 16, there are numerous examples of the VP candidate helping to flip a swing state.

[Marrah_Goodman]

27. There is a difference between going to the polls and being really excited about a ticket

The broader range of people that you have excited about the ticket the more people you will have volunteering and donating.

[question everything]

31. "Solid blue state?" Hardly

Hillary won by only 1.5%. And in 2018 the two seats that were flipped from D to R were in Minnesota.

The days of Humphrey and Mondale and Eugene McCarthy and Paul Wellstone are long gone. Minnesota is now solidly purple, Omar notwithstanding.

Having Klobuchar as the running mate could bring Minnesota back to the blue wave.

And i count on her being more centrist than Biden. I have been disappointed by the concessions that he seems to be making to Sanders and his supporters whose votes are far from certain.

[Dem4Life1102]

32. Minnesota has 2 Democratic Senators

and a Democratic Governor. It hasn’t voted for a Republican for President since 1972. Polling has Biden over 10 points ahead of Trump in the state. Minnesota is a solid blue state.

[brush]

5. Joe needs someone with pizzazz. Two centrist whites on the ticket is NOT exciting.

[Cha]

14. Biden is Center Left if anything.. not sure what he's so

"Center" about?

Aloha, brush!

[brush]

16. True about Biden. I don't think Klochar adds excitement.

[Cha]

18. I know what you mean.. in another post

below I said I think it would be brilliant if Biden would chose a WOC who would be compatible and share Biden's vision.

[lame54]

6. Please no

[BigDemVoter]

7. Noooooooooooooooo, she is toooooooooooo white.

NO, no, no, no. . . .

[Ace Rothstein]

8. Why?

[Celerity]

10. hard pass on Klobuchar, I am open to all the others

[DFW]

13. I remember 12 years ago. There were threads like this saying EXACTLY the same thing about Biden

Biden turned out OK. If nominated, I'm sure Klobuchar would as well.

I was against putting ANY restrictions on the VP selection, including gender. Biden went ahead and made gender one restriction. OK, he's the nominee, it''s his call. I hope he doesn't adopt any others. Color, geography, even political leaning--he needs COMPETENCE (looking toward succession), EXPERIENCE (because he is 77, and that succession could come at any moment) and COMPATIBILITY (one of the reasons he was such a great VP to Obama). As long as those three are fulfilled, it could be a lesbian one-eyed one-horned flying purple people eater from Guam as far as I'm concerned.

[Cha]

15. I'm sure there were.. there were threads on No Elena Kagan &

Sonia Sotoamayor too.

But now Biden has stated he will choose a woman. I think if there is a compatible WOC he could choose it would be brilliant but who knows what's in the stars?

I think Joe Biden will choose the best one for his vision and he knows exactly what he wants in a VP.. he had 8 years on the job training for it.

[DFW]

17. Exactly. He has a perspective on the subject none of us can possibly have.

I seriously doubt that Biden will try for a second term, so whoever he picks is basically him saying, "this is who I expect to be the next president after me." THAT question is WAY more important than what color she is, or where she's from. She needs to be smart, capable, ready, and a team player. We have a LOT of damage control to deal with. Backstabbing and petty sniping within the incoming administration is exactly what we DON'T need to get things done. This is why I don't want any of the "let's get Al Franken" Senators. Talk about backstabbing and petty sniping! Booker and Sanders are out due to gender alone, but I don't want Gillibrand, Warren or Harris, either. A VP more interested in tooting her own horn than helping Biden to clean up Trump's mess will only slow down the process of "de-Trumpization." Biden doesn't need that, and the country doesn't need that either.

[Cha]

19. Yeah, even if Biden does go for

a 2nd term.. his VP choice needs to be Presidential material on day one. That requires a brilliant Team Player.. a woman in this case.

What a monumental challenge!

[question everything]

23. Well said. Thanks

[Dem4Life1102]

30. Succession???

Any arguments about Biden's age or health only benefit Trump.

Primary criteria if you want to win the election are:
Geography - Someone who can help to flip a swing state.
Ideology - Someone who can broaden the appeal of the ticket to create a coalition.
Demographics - Someone who can energize one or more voter segments.

[Tribetime]

21. My money's on Val Demings

[question everything]

28. With a reaction: Val who?

Yes, we, here know who she is, were impressed by her during the impeachment trial. But she is still unknown. Like Stacey Adams, both have impressive resumes - but local.

We need someone with national exposure and accomplishments.

[Tribetime]

29. We will see

[Shrek]

22. More guest spots for Rachel Dratch on SNL

Always a plus.

[Mr. Ected]

24. Her Senate seat would likely go to another Dem. Point in favor of Mrs. Klobuchar.

But would she bring votes that Biden couldn't deliver himself?

As long as the choice isn't Stacey Abrams, who is absolutely awesome but far too inexperienced to be a heartbeat away from the presidency....

[Dem4Life1102]

25. She is from a solid blue state

and won’t help flip a swing state like Florida on North Carolina.

As far as Abrams, not sure she is the right choice either, but experience doesn’t matter in electoral politics. Never has. And experience arguments only benefit incumbents.

[Marrah_Goodman]

26. I really hope not

I would like to see someone that would bring a bit more enthusiasm to the ticket. I think she would be like Tim Kaine, in my opinion and not bring much to the ticket. Personally I would like to see someone younger, with a lot of personality and to the left of Biden on the ticket.

[USALiberal]

33. No thanks! Nt